Oil cleaning apparatus



Nov. 5, 1963 e. H. M MILLEN OIL CLEANING APPARATUS 3 Sheets Sheet 1 Filed May 1. 1961 se\ I l INVENTOR. geonie H. 77ZZ7ZI'Zlen FM m k Q H oTney- 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Nov. 5, 1963 G. H. MCMILLEN OIL CLEANING APPARATUS Filed May 1. 1961 INVENTOR. geoTge H. m millen BY orneys M/ M G O QHH IH WHHHH @HHHHM NT, WHHHHM HHM WHHHHH HHHHHM MHHHHM QHHHHH H MHHHHH QHHWMM w .m

Nov. 5, 1963 G. H. MCMILLEN 3,109,811

OIL CLEANING APPARATUS Filed May 1. 1961 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 JNVENTOR. qeo'rge H. Z/Z ZHI'ZZen BY 7M, we? I? United States Patent 3,10%,811 Oil CLEANING APPARATUS George H. lvicll iillen, Worcester, Mass, assignor to Morgan Construction Qompany, Worcester, Mass a corporation of Massachusetts Filed May 1, 1961, Ser. No. 106,929 3 Claims. ((31. 210-172) This invention relates generally to an oil cleaning apparatus and more particularly to apparatus arranged to remove water and foreign matter from the fluid in a lubricating system.

in oil circulating systems, such as the lubricating systems associated with the oil film bearings of a rolling mill, it is common practice to provide some means for removing foreign matter from the fluid. In the past, the apparatus for accomplishing this function has not been adequate to service the needs of some lubricating systems, particularly where extremely clean oil is needed. Furthermore, in cleaning apparatus utilized in present systems it is difficult to clean the elements while the oil system is being operated. These and other difiiculties experienced with existing oil cleaning systems have been obviated in a novel manner by the present invention.

It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide an oil cleaning apparatus for use where a cleaning function of a very high order is desired.

Another object of this invention is the provision of an oil cleaning apparatus in which the elements may be removed for cleaning during the operation of the apparatus without interruption thereof.

A further object of the present invention is the provision of an oil cleaning apparatus containing a gravity element to facilitate removal of water from the oil.

It is another object of the instant invention to provide an oil cleaning apparatus having a magnetic trap to remove metallic particles from the oil.

It is a further object or" the invention to provide an oil cleaning apparatus having a plurality of cleaning elements of various types arranged in sequence to remove various contaminents from the oil.

With these and other objects in view, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art, the invention resides in the combination of parts set forth in the specification and covered by the claims appended hereto.

The character of the invention, however, may be best understood by reference to one of its structural forms, as illustrated by the accompanying drawings in which;

FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional view of the apparatus taken on the line Il of FIG. 2;

FIG. 2 is a horizontal sectional view of the apparatus taken on the line H-ii of P 1;

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view of the invention taken on the line ILL-ill of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a plan view or" element of the invention;

PEG. 5 is a front elevational view of an element of the invention; and

FIG. 6 is an enlar ed sectional view of a ortion of the invention taken on the line Vl-Vl of P 3.

Referring first to FIGS. 1 and 2, wherein are best shown the general features of the invention, the oil cleaning apparatus, indicated generally by the reference numeral ill, consists of a sheet metal container of rectilinear conformation having a lower oil receiving storage portion 12 containing a body it of oil and having an outlet 16 at its lower portion. The apparatus also has an upstanding receiving ortion 18 with an inlet 2d located at one side thereof adapted to receive the circulating oil on its return to the sump. The receiving portion 18 is separated from the storage portion 12 by a horizontal floor 22 provided with a laterally extending trough Z4 and having a ice pair of walls 26 and 28 laterally spaced from each other and joined at their lower ends by a bottom Sll which slopes transversely from one side of the storage portion 12 to the other. The wall 28 extends vertically some distance above the level of the door 22 and terminates in an upper edge 32 which is located along the center line of the inlet fit). The wall 28 has a plurality of tabs 34 formed on the side away from the trough and extend angularly downward away from the wall 28 for a purpose to be set forth hereinafter. It can be seen by referring to FIGS. 1 and 2 that a plurality of partitions 36 connect the wall 23 with the rear wall 38 of the receiving portion 18. The partitions 36 are provided with pads 39 on the end facing the trough and are inclined upwardly and way from the partitions and constitute receiving holders for dam plates (not shown). The partitions 36 have a greater height than the wall 28 and divide a lower section of the receiving portion 13 into several compartments 40. Also extending from the wall 28 toward the rear wall 33 of the receiving portion 18 is a horizontal floor 42 which defines a continuation of the floor 22. Each compartment is provided with a magnetic element 44 adjacent the wall 23 and a filter element as located adjacent the rear wall 33 of the receiving portion 18.

Referring to FIG. 3, it can be seen that overlying each of the compartments ll) are covers 48 provided with transversely extending hinges till to allow the cover to be vertically pivoted and provide access to the compartments As is evident in FIG. 3, the floor 30 of the trough 24 slopes downwardly to one side of the receiving portion 18 and has an oil level gauge 52 positioned on the exterior wall thereof with one connecting line located in the trough 24 adjacent the floor 30 and the other connecting line adjacent the cover 48. A drainage cock 54 is provided at the bottom of the gauge to provide for cleaning the trough 24.

FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 illustrate the details of the magnetic elements 44. Each element has a shallow rectangular conformation and is provided with vertically extending handles 56 and 58 at each end of the element. The element consists mainly of an elongated rectangular wooden block 69 in which are embedded a series of elongated permanent magnets 62 arranged with their poles in alternate position. Overlying the block 60 and the magnets 44 is an aluminum cover 64 formed with :an upstanding flange as around its periphery. As is evident in FIG. 6, a portion of the flange 68 spaced from the wall 28 does not rise as high as the other flanges, thus providing an overflow portion. The magnetic elements 44 are retained in position on the floor 42 of the receiving portion 18 by means of a laterally extending metal strip 69 extending parallel to the Wall 25% and spaced therefrom a distance equivalent to the width of the element.

The operation of the apparatus will now be readily understood in view of the above description. Oil returning from the bearings, usually by gravity enters the apparatus through the inlet 20 into the receiving portion 18 and flows across the floor 22 toward the rear wall 33 and flows downward into the trough 24-. Water in the oil will be trapped in the trough due to the relative difference in specific gravity between the water and the corn taminated oil along with heavy foreign impurities. Since the bottom 3i) of the trough is inclined toward one side of the receiving portion the water and foreign matter will flow in that direction and may be drained from the trough through the drain cock 54 when it becomes ap parent by visual observation of the gauge glass 52 that there is a high level of water and or sediment in the trough. The level of oil above the trough 2 and the floor 22 rises until it flows over the wall 28. The wall 23, therefore, acts as a dam and allows only the light,

storage.

relatively clean oil to flow over into the compartments 443 while the heavy oil with any included water and foreign matter sinks into the trough 24 for disposal. Oil flowing over the tabs 34 is deflected onto the surface of the magnetic elements 44 and flows across the surface of the magnetic elements in the manner indicated by the arrows in FIG. 6 and overflowing over the short flange 68. The presence of the alternately arranged permanent magnets 62, however, causes any magnetic material, such as steel chips or filings, to attach themselves to the upper surface of the aluminum cover 64. After leaving the magnetic elements 44 the oil then flows downwardly thru the screen or bag-type filter elements 46, which are disposed within the compartments .8, to screen out the .smaller particles and allows the oil to flow into the storage portion 12.

It has been found by experimentation that the particular alternate arrangement of the poles of the permanent magnets 62 as shown in FIG. 4 function more effectively to remove magnetic matter from the oil by establishing multiple magnetic fields and performance data indicates a more efficient collection of magnetic foreign matter than where the poles are arranged in the same direction.

it will be understood that the Water in the trough 24 can be detected in the gauge glass and flushed out at any time during the operation of the apparatus through the cock '54. When it is desired to clean one of the magnetic elements 44 it is necessary to open part of the corresponding cover 48 overlying the individual compartment and to insert a small dam plate 39' in the pads 39 located at the partition 36 to block the flow of oil to that compartment allowing the oil to How to the other compartments of the apparatus, so that oil flows continuously into The magnetic element 44 may then be received from the compartment by means of the handles 5'6 and 58 for cleaning. It will be found that the metal filings and the like located on the surface of the aluminum cover can be readily removed because the permanent magnets 62 are not in direct contact with the foreign matter, but are separated by the aluminum cover 64. A high level float 70 is provided in the receiving portion 18 which is connected to external indicating means such as a light or alarm (not shown). When the screen in filter elements 46 become'clogged due to an accumulation of foreign material preventingthe continuous flow of oil into the storage tank the level in the receiving portion will rise and elevate the float 76 to actuate the high level alarm. Any of the filter elements 46 can then be removed, cleaned, and replaced without interferring with the normal operation of the apparatus. With this type of a clean ing apparatus the normal procedure is to remove the dirty filter element and replace it with a spare unit so as to maintain all the compartments in use for a greater period of time. After the magnetic element and the filter elemerit have been replaced in the apparatus, the temporary dam plate is removed and oil flows over the tabs 34 into the particular compartment.

It is obvious that minor changes may be made in the form and construction of the invention Without departing from the material spirit thereof. It is not, however, desired to confine the invention to the exact form herein shown and described, but it is desired to include all such as properly come within the scope claimed.

The invention having been thus described, What is claimed as new and desired to secure by Letters Patent,

1. An oil cleaning apparatus adapted for continuous operation comprising in combination a sump, a chamber located above said sump, a dam extending across said chamber to divide said chamber into first and second sections, said dam having a plurality of spillways, an inlet supplying oil to be cleaned to said first section, partition means ntending substantially normal to said dam between said spillways in said second section to divide said second section into a plurality of compartments, means providing a flow passageway between the floor of each of said compartments and said sump, a removable filter in each said passageway, removable magnetic traps in each of said compartments positioned between said dam and said passageway to have oil from the respective spillways passing over said traps, and retaining means on said dam for removably retaining a plate over one of said spillways to selectively block oil flow to the corresponding one of said compartments to permit removal and replacement of the magnetic trap and filter in said one compartment without interrupting oil cleaning and flow in the other ones of said compartments.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which said magnetic traps comprise a plurality of bar magnets spaced side-by-side with the long dimensions thereof extending from said dam in the direction of oil flow and the polarity e of alternate magnets reversed.

3. Apparatus according to claim. 2 and including a sloping floor trough extending generally parallel to said dam in the floor of said first section and a drain valve in the lower end of said trough.

References Cited in the file of this patent 

1. AN OIL CLEANING APPARATUS ADAPTED FOR CONTINUOUS OPERATION COMPRISING IN COMBINATION A SUMP, A CHAMBER LOCATED ABOVE SAID SUMP, A DAM EXTENDING ACROSS SAID CHAMBER TO DIVIDE SAID CHAMBER INTO FIRST AND SECOND SECTIONS, SAID DAM HAVING A PLURALITY OF SPILLWAYS, AN INLET SUPPLYING OIL TO BE CLEANED TO SAID FIRST SECTION, PARTITION MEANS EXTENDING SUBSTANTIALLY NORMAL TO SAID DAM BETWEEN SAID SPILLWAYS IN SAID SECOND SECTION TO DIVIDE SAID SECOND SECTION INTO A PLURALITY OF COMPARTMENTS, MEANS PROVIDING A FLOW PASSAGEWAY BETWEEN THE FLOOR OF EACH OF SAID COMPARTMENTS AND SAID SUMP, A REMOVABLE FILTER IN EACH SAID PASSAGEWAY, REMOVABLE MAGNETIC TRAPS IN EACH OF SAID COMPARTMENTS POSITIONED BETWEEN SAID DAM AND SAID PASSAGEWAY TO HAVE OIL FROM THE RESPECTIVE SPILLWAYS PASSING OVER SAID TRAPS, AND RETAINING MEANS ON SAID DAM FOR REMOVABLY RETAINING A PLATE OVER ONE OF SAID SPILLWAYS TO SELECTIVELY BLOCK OIL FLOW TO THE CORRESPONDING ONE OF SAID COMPARTMENTS TO PERMIT REMOVAL AND REPLACEMENT OF THE MAGNETIC TRAP AND FILTER IN SAID ONE COMPARTMENT WITHOUT INTERRUPTING OIL CLEANING AN FLOW IN THE OTHER ONES OF SAID COMPARTMENTS. 